Article display board



Jan. 10, 1956 R. G. PLATT ARTICLE DISPLAY BOARD Filed Sept. 29, 1948 Manufacturing Company, of Illinois Application September 29, 1948, Serial N 0. 51,695 3 Claims. (Cl. 211-87) Chicago, Ill., a corporation This invention relates to improvements in display boards or units constituting a panel having hangers outwardly projecting therefrom for the purpose of supportmg or displaying articles, such as fan belts, battery cables, eye bolts, hose clamps, radiator hoses, and the like.

Conventional display boards of this type utilize, for example, a plurality of angle irons pivotally mounted on the back of the front display panel section. The purpose of each angle iron is to swing it into engagement with an annular section of each hanger in order to hold the latter from moving forwardly as well as to support the same in fixed position against the downward pull of articles hanging therefrom. Such display boards are costly in that a great deal more material is utilized in their construction. Also, the expense of assembling such pivotally mounted members is an added disadvantage and the time and extra materials generally consumed in connection therewith sometimes makes the selling price of the display boards objectionable to the purchaser.

There has been a long felt want among manufacturers and users of such display articles for such a'unit which is less expensive, and one which can be assembled with at least equal facility as conventional display units and this is now accomplished by means of the present invention.

A principal object of the invention, therefore, is to overcome the foregoing difiiculties and disadvantages and to provide a display board or unit which is economical to manufacture, sturdy and durable of construction, and which can be assembled with ease to provide such an article which will perform all of the functions of conventional devices with a lesser number of parts.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such an article of manufacture from a blank of sheet material constituting a display panel, board or unit, and which has a hanger or hangers outwardly projecting therefrom for supporting articles thereon for display purposes, the panel having a marginal bottom section rearwardly bent in right angle relation thereto and with a plurality of openings above the bottom section, the hangers preferably constituting a rod which, is bent angularly a distance inwardly from each end to provide article supporting arms connected by an intermediate or bracing portion, the arms penetrating the openings and the intermediate portion overlying the bottom section, a portion of the panel or unit having a segment struck therefrom and bent at right anglesthereto to provide a contacting member for engaging the intermediate portion of the hanger to hold the latter in position.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide an article of the type above described in which the segment is struck up from the bottom section and bent upwardly at right angles thereto to engage the intermediate portion of the hanger and hold it in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article of the foregoing type in which the segment struck up from the marginal bottom section terminates in a hook which overlies the intermediate portion of the hanger and holds it downwardly in position as well as from moving forwardly through the openings in the panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide the margmal bottom section with an upwardly extending flange which terminates in an inwardly projecting lip to provide a trough for the intermediate portion of the hanger, whereby to hold the intermediate portion downwardly against the marginal bottom section and, in conjunction with the struck portion of the panel, to hold the same from moving forwardly through the openings of the panel.

A still further object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity entirely for an upstanding flange at the end of the marginal bottom section and to provide a struck portion in the panel having a cut-out area which will engage the intermediate portion of the hanger to hold the same downwardly in position against the marginal bottom section and also from moving forwardly with respect to the panel.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an article of manufacture constituting a display board or unit embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of an end portion of the article depicted in Fig. 1, with other parts in section and with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, with parts broken away, taken along the lines i4 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a fragmentary portion of the invention shown in Fig. 3, and which is a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a fragmentary portion of a modification illustrating a struck-up hook arr'angement for holding the hanger in place;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 7-7 of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a further modification of the invention illustrating a fragment of such a unit with parts broken away and with parts in section, in which the struck portions is turned inwardly from the front panel section;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 9-9 of Fig. 8 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of a fragmentary portion of a display panel embodying the invention illustrating a further modification thereof and, in particular, that which is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, certain portions of the latter figures being modified and other portions being omitted. I

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. l a sheet of material 11 preferably made of a single blank of metal to constitute a display panel, board, or unit, and having hangers, indicated generally at 12, outwardly projecting therefrom for supporting articles thereon for display purposes. 1

The panel or unit has a marginal bottom section 13 rearwardly bent and preferably in right angle relation thereto with spaced apart openings 14 in the front portion thereof overlying the marginal bottom section 13.

The hangers preferably constitute a rod of metal which is bent angularly a distance inwardly from each end to provide substantially parallel article supporting arms 15 connected by an intermediate bracing portion 16, the arms 15 projecting through the openings 14 and the intermediate portion 16 overlying the marginal bottom section 13.

Preferably, the marginal bottom section 13 has an upwardly extending flange 17 which terminates in an inwardly projecting lip 18, thereby providing a trough or channel for the reception of the intermediate portion 16 of the hanger 12, whereby to hold the intermediate portion of the hanger downwardly against the marginal bottom section 13. Such bending of the marginal sections of the panel, especially if carried out through the perimeter thereof, provides extra strength which is an advantage to prevent flexing or warping of the unit especially when the hangers are supporting various articles to their full capacity.

In order to prevent the hangers from moving forwardly out of contact with the trough formed by the lip 18, up wardly projecting portion 17 and marginal bottom section 13, it is necessary to have an engaging element to contact the intermediate portion 16 of the hangers 12. Therefore, there has been struck from the unit, and preferably from the marginal bottom section 13, a lip or finger 19 at such points along the unit that, when bent inwardly substantially at right angles, such fingers or lips are disposed within the angular portion formed by the hangers, that is, adjacent the arms 15 where they are connected with the intermediate portion 16.

The ease of assembling such a device will be obvious. When the user receives the same compactly packaged with in a carton, it is but necessary to remove the hanger or hangers, insert the end portions thereof into the openings 14 until they project a proper distance and catch the same in the trough above described. Any pointed instrument can then be used to push or bend inwardly the lip or finger 19 so that it is at substantially right angles to the panel, or panel section, and it will pass into the path of the intermediate portion 16 so that forward or rearward movement of the hangers is impossible.

Suitably arranged in the panel 11 are additionally spaced apart holes 20, 20 for the reception of nails or screws so that the unit can readily be secured to a wall surface or suspended from hooks in a wall adapted to penetrate the holes 20, 20.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 it will be seen that the upwardly extending flange 17 has been omitted as well as the lip 18, thus providing a saving in material without appreciably aifecting the function of the unit. However, a struck-up lip or finger 19a is provided in the bottom section 13 which is of such a configuration as to form a hook so that when bent at right angles the intermediate portion of the hanger will come to rest thereunder. This not only prevents the hanger from moving forwardly through the openings in the panel but also holds the same downwardly against the marginal bottom section 13.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the construction is similar to Figs. 1 through with the exception that a lip or finger 19b for engaging the intermediate portion of the hanger is struck out from the front panel 11 above the marginal bottom section 13 and turned inwardly and at right angles to prevent the hanger from moving forwardly out the trough in which it is positioned.

In Fig. the upwardly extending flange 17 and trough providing lip 18, shown in Figs. 1 through 5, again have been eliminated as has been done in connection with the modifications illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. However, a finger 19c constitutes the engaging element for preventing the hangers from moving forwardly. This finger has a cutout area whereby it is enabled to overlie the intermediate portion of the hanger to hold the same in position against the marginal bottom section 13. This finger is also indicated as being struck from the front panel 11 and bent rearwardly at right angles thereto.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth can readily and efliciently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A display board having hangers projecting from the front side thereof adapted to be packaged in dismantled condition and to be assembled without the use of special tools, comprising, a panel member formed of thin metal stock having a horizontal marginal bottom section rearwardly extending at right angles from the bottom edge of said panel member, said marginal bottom section having a vertical section standing up from the rear edge thereof and said vertical section having a forwardly extending horizontal section projecting therefrom so as to provide a horizontal trough extending along the rear edge of said marginal bottom section and open on the front side thereof, said panel member being provided with a plurality of regularly spaced rod-receiving holes aligned level with the opening in said trough, and a U-shaped hanger rod for each pair of said holes with the yoke portion of each hanger rod being straight and with the side hanger arms extending at right angles from the opposite ends of the yoke, the side arms of said U- shaped hanger rods being insertable through a pair of said holes so that the yoke portions fit snugly within said trough, and the side arms project forwardly from the front side of said panel member, said marginal bottom section having pairs of struck-out tongues located within the corners of each U-shaped hanger so that the tongues of each pair extend toward each other and may be bent upwardly against the inside of each adjacent corner where one of the side arms joins the yoke portion so as to thereby lock said yoke portions in said trough, said trough having a depth equal approximately to the diameter of said yoke portions.

2. A display board having hangers projecting from the front side thereof adapted to be packaged in dis mantled condition and to be assembled without the use of special tools, comprising, a panel member formed of thin metal stock having a horizontal marginal bottom section rearwardly extending at right angles from the bottom edge of said panel member, said marginal bottom section having a section standing up from the rear edge thereof having a forwardly extending portion so as to provide a horizontal trough extending along the rear edge of said marginal bottom section and open on the front side thereof, said panel member being provided with a plurality of regularly spaced rod-receiving holes aligned level with the opening in said trough, and a U-shaped hanger rod for each pair of said holes with the yoke portion of each hanger rod being straight and with the side hanger arms extending at right angles from the opposite ends of the yoke, the side arms of said U-shaped hanger rods being insertable through a pair of said holes so that the yoke portions fit snugly within said trough, and the side arms projecting forwardly from the front side of said panel member, said marginal bottom section having at least one struck-out tongue located within at least one of the corners of each U-shaped hanger so that the tongues may be bent upwardly against the inside of each adjacent corner where one of the side arms joins the yoke portion so as to thereby lock said yoke portions in said trough, said trough having a depth equal approximately to the diameter of said yoke portions.

3. A display board having hangers projecting from the front side thereof adapted to be packaged in dismantled condition and to be assembled Without the use of special tools, comprising, a panel member formed of thin metal stock having a horizontal marginal bottom section rear- Wardly extending at right angles from the bottom edge of said panel member, said marginal bottom section having a section standing up from the rear edge thereof having a forwardly extending portion so as to provide a horizontal trough extending along the rear edge of said marginal bottom section and open on the front side thereof, said panel member being provided with a plurality of regularly spaced rod-receiving holes aligned level with the opening in said trough, and a U-shaped hanger rod for each pair of said holes with the yoke portion of each hanger rod being straight and with the side hanger arms extending at right angles from the opposite ends of the yoke, the side arms of said U-shaped hanger rods being insertable through a pair of said holes so that the yoke portions fit snugly within said trough, and the side arms projecting forwardly from the front side of said panel member, said panel member having at least one struckout tongue located within at least one of the corners of each U-shaped hanger so that the tongues may be bent against the inside of each adjacent corner where one of the side arms joins the yoke portion so as to thereby lock said yoke portions in said trough, said trough having a depth equal approximately to the diameter of said yoke portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 588,631 Brown Aug. 24, 1897 1,006,007 Rispel Oct. 17, 1911 1,097,258 Noble May 19, 1914 1,280,567 Siebring Oct. 1, 1918 1,765,496 Miller June 24, 1930 1,998,243 Krueger Apr. 16, 1935 2,177,181 Jenkins Oct. 24, 1939 2,573,376 Wirth Oct. 30, 1951 

